AgNet DEMO

Category: Georgia

  • ITC Blueberry Vote Unanimous

    The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) determined on Thursday that fresh, chilled, or frozen blueberries are not being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or the threat of serious injury, to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article.

    The Commission’s determination resulted from a 5-0 vote.  Chair Jason E. Kearns, Vice Chair Randolph J. Stayin, and Commissioners David S. Johanson, Rhonda K. Schmidtlein, and Amy A. Karpel voted in the negative.

    The determination was made in the context of an investigation initiated on Sept. 29, 2020, under section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. § 2252) at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative. Information about this investigation and global safeguard investigations in general can be found here:  https://usitc.gov/press_room/documents/blueberries_factsheet_finalassubmittedforposting.pdf

    As a result of today’s vote, the investigation will end, and the Commission will not recommend a remedy to the President.  The Commission will submit its report containing its injury determination and the basis for it to the President by March 29, 2021.

    A public report concerning the investigation will be available after the Commission submits its report to the President.

  • American Blueberry Growers Alliance Statement on ITC Decision

    WASHINGTON, February 11, 2021 – The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) released the following statement regarding the outcome of Thursday’s International Trade Commission (ITC) verdict regarding the global safeguard investigation into imports of fresh, chilled or frozen blueberries: 

    “The American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) is disappointed with the decision today by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to find that rising imports of foreign-grown blueberries are not a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat of serious injury, to domestic farmers. We disagree with the outcome of the Commissioner’s investigation.

    “Throughout this case, blueberry growers across the United States provided the ITC with extensive data and personal experiences about the significant harm caused by surging imports on the supply and pricing of blueberries in the U.S. market, especially during our critical growing and harvest seasons. We believed this data and testimony made a compelling case that safeguard measures were critical to the survival of our domestic farmers, and we are disappointed by the Commission’s decision.

    “We actively participated in this investigation because we believe U.S. trade laws must support a level playing field for American farmers – one in which lower labor costs and more lax environmental standards in other countries does not drive our domestic growers out of business. The outcome of this investigation reveals deficiencies in U.S. trade laws, which unfortunately will put the long-term viability of the domestic blueberry industry in jeopardy.

    “We have received strong support from members of Congress, state elected officials, agricultural associations and other farm interests throughout this investigation, and we plan to work with these groups on other remedies to ensure that American consumers continue to have access to fresh, high-quality, safe, domestically grown blueberries.

    “Meanwhile, our domestic growers will face another year of economic uncertainty as they grow and harvest their 2021 blueberry crop. No doubt, imports will now accelerate to overwhelm our domestic market this year. This will cause even greater hardship on family-owned farm operations, as well as on providers of packing and freezing services, and damage to local communities and tax bases.”

    About American Blueberry Growers Alliance

    American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA) is a national association representing blueberry growers and farmers in the United States. ABGA provides a unified voice for blueberry growers in states across the country, including California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Oregon and Washington, advocating on behalf of their interests and for the long-term viability of the domestic blueberry industry. For more information, visit: americanblueberrygrowers.com.

    Read here how Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Executive Director Charles Hall is disheartened following the ITC decision today.

  • Very Disheartening: GFVGA Executive Director Reacts to ITC Blueberry Imports Verdict

    It wasn’t the verdict Charles Hall envisioned.

    File photo shows a pile of blueberries.

    “Very surprised and very, very disappointed,” he said following Thursday’s International Trade Commission (ITC) vote on the Section 201 investigation into serious injury surrounding blueberry imports.

    The ITC deemed that imports of fresh, chilled or frozen blueberries are not a serious injury to the domestic industry. It goes against what members of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance testified about during the virtual hearing with the ITC in January. Statistics say blueberry imports have increased exponentially, while the Southeast farmers have paid the price.

    “It’s very disappointing for the effort put into this and the data and personal experiences and the harm that’s been shown and they’ve decided there hasn’t been any harm shown,” said Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “It’s very disheartening.”

    Staggering Statistics

    “The other side was trying to make the case that the imports of blueberries did not have an effect. Since 2009 to 2019, I think is the data that we’ve got, it was over 2,000% increase. It’s just amazing. They basically won the case, won the battle; their increasing in imports didn’t have an effect on prices dropping,” Hall added.

    “I don’t understand how you can have that many blueberries come into the market, prices dropping the way they were dropping and the imported berries don’t have an effect on that.”

    The investigation ends as a result and the commission will not recommend a remedy to the President. But it doesn’t end the fight of blueberry farmers in the Southeast. They’re imploring consumers to buy local.

    “We’ll be looking at whether there’s other ways to adjust the U.S. trade laws. The sad part about this is, they have shown they can produce and ship in product, whether it’s berries or whatever it might be, other vegetables with $10 a day labor. They can ship it in cheaper than we can produce it here,” Hall said. “It’s going to be up to the American consumer to support t he American farmer if we’re going to continue to produce fruits and vegetables in the U.S.”

  • Case Closed: ITC Finds No Serious Injury Regarding Blueberry Imports

    File photo shows blueberries.

    Southeast blueberry producers were dealt a blow today regarding the 201 Investigation into serious injury that imports have had on the domestic industry.

    The U.S. International Trade Commission determined on Thursday via vote that, “fresh, chilled or frozen blueberries are not being imported into the United States in such increased quantities as to be a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat of serious injury, to the domestic industry producing an article like or directly competitive with the imported article in the United States.”

    The investigation ends as a result and the commission will not recommend a remedy to the President.

  • Georgia Commercial Grape IPM Meeting

    University of Georgia Cooperative Extensions will host a virtual Grape IPM meeting on Feb. 25 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Specialists will update farmers and industry leaders on new information you will need for the control of diseases, insects and weeds in 2021

    Clark MacAllister and other county agents will be hosting a virtual Grape IPM Meeting on 25 February from 9:00 till 11:30. Specialists will update you on new information you will need for the control of diseases, insects and weeds in 2021. You will need to register for this event in order to participate, so pre-register through the link listed below:

    https://tinyurl.com/CommercialGrapeIPM2021

  • Registration Closes Soon for Virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Training

    Registration will close soon for the virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Training, which will be held Feb. 23 and 24 from 8 a.m. to noon. Registration closes Tuesday, Feb. 16 and is limited to 15 participants.

    This two-day online workshop is offered to produce growers. The training will cover the standardized curriculum designed by the Produce Safety Alliance, which meets the regulatory requirements of the Produce Safety Rule under FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act). The course will provide a foundation of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and co-management information, FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements and details on how to develop a farm food safety plan. Individuals who participate in this course are expected to gain a basic understanding of:

    • Requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them successfully;
    • Microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm;
    • How to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks, and how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm; and
    • Parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one.

    Further information is available on www.georgiaproducesafety.com or by viewing this detailed flyer. For questions, please email Maggie Brown or Elizabeth Danforth.

  • Presidential Authority: Final Decision Regarding Blueberry Imports Rests with Biden Administration

    File photo shows blueberries.

    The American Blueberry Growers Alliance’s (ABGA) stance on imports has not changed over the years: serious injury has been inflicted on American farmers, especially those in Florida and Georgia.

    But where does President Biden stand on this issue? That’s the stance that will ultimately decide the Section 201 investigation regarding blueberry imports. Even if the International Trade Commission (ITC) decides in the ABGA’s favor with its vote on Thursday, the final decision rests with Biden and his administration.

    “When people asked me about this from the get-go, I felt like we’re going to win in the ITC, but does the president sign it or not? That’s a 50-50 coin flip maybe, I don’t know. People smarter than me can figure that out,” said Ryan Atwood, who lives in Mount Dora, Florida and farms 56 acres of blueberries, manages another 350 acres and is part-owner of the largest packing house in the Southeast United States.

    Virtual Hearing with ITC

    The ITC’s decision on Thursday comes a month after ABGA members and industry and congressional leaders testified in a virtual hearing before the ITC about the negative impact blueberry imports from Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Canada have had on the domestic market.

    If serious injury is found, the ITC will formulate a recommendation. But the president will make the final decision.

    “The ultimate decision will come from the desk of the president. Regardless of what side of the aisle you sit on, we all like to eat. We all like to eat blueberries,” said Jerome Crosby, Georgia blueberry grower and chairman of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance. “Food is probably the most partisan issue in America when it comes down to it. No matter what walk of life you come from, you like to eat something. That makes the farmer a friend to every human being. I think anyone who fits that category of consuming food is going to have an interest in the American farmer staying in place.”

  • Rain, Rain Go Away: Dry Weather Needed

    Excessive rainfall in January and so far in February has vegetable producers playing catch-up in preparing for the upcoming season.

    Field in Tift County, Georgia shows how wet and muddy it is right now.

    “We’re way behind as far as laying new plastic for the spring and everything,” said Bill Brim, part owner of Lewis Taylor Farms in Tifton, Georgia on Friday. “We probably still like about 600 acres of plastic to lay. We laid a little bit (Thursday) and a little bit (Friday) and that’s it; about 40 or 50 acres. We really need some dry weather now to try to get some stuff done.”

    Brim and other farmers in south Georgia got some sunshine on Sunday and Monday. But according to weather.com, there is a high chance of rain the rest of the week.

    According to the University of Georgia Weather Network, Tifton, Georgia has received 8.67 inches from Jan. 1 to Feb. 7, compared to 4.93 in 2020 and 5.18 in 2019. In Moultrie, Georgia where the Sunbelt Ag Expo is located, it has recorded 8.37 inches from Jan. 1 to Feb. 7, compared to 4.86 in 2020 and 5.83 in 2019.

    The Lewis Taylor Farms website states it produces more than 6,500 acres of produce every year. Fortunately, it started laying plastic when it did near the end of 2020. If not, it would really be behind in getting row beds ready to plant.

    “We started back at the end of November laying (plastic). I’m sure glad we did, because if we hadn’t, we’d be in a real mess. We wouldn’t have gotten anything laid, probably from mid-December to now,” Brim said.    

  • American Blueberry Growers Alliance Confident Ahead of ITC Decision

    The American Blueberry Growers Alliance’s (ABGA) case has been made. The data supports its stance of serious injury regarding blueberry imports. It’s now up to the International Trade Committee (ITC) which will vote on Thursday to determine whether the domestic industry has been seriously injured.

    “We feel like we presented a good case. The numbers do not lie,” said Jerome Crosby, Georgia blueberry grower and chairman of the American Blueberry Growers Alliance. “There’s a lot of people that have different opinions. I’m looking at the numbers and the pricing and the effects of what we see on the blueberry farmers. One of our strongest arguments is you’ve got to look at the net income of a blueberry farming operation. When you see the downward spiral we’ve experienced, then that is the sum total of the effects of the import markets. That is to us the defining factor.”

    January Hearing

    Thursday’s decision by the ITC will come a month after the ABGA and opposition groups testified during a virtual hearing regarding the impact of blueberry imports.

    “Once they reach a decision, then we will move to the next step. If it’s affirmative, we’ll be into the remedy phase, and if it’s not affirmative, then there are other options we will be pursuing. We really won’t know until Thursday. It’s in their hands,” Crosby said.

    Data Supports Their Case

    Crosby and other blueberry growers who testified in January believe the data supports their claim of serious injury. Blueberry imports from countries like Mexico, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Canada have increased by 62% since 2015, according to the ABGA. The National Farmers Union submitted a letter to the ITC on Friday, Feb. 5, noting that growers’ operating returns fell 32.4% between 2015 and 2019.

    Nikki Fried, Florida Ag Commissioner, testified during the January hearing. She stated that Florida has a $62.3 million blueberry industry, but its market share has declined by 38% since 2015. It has resulted in $67 million in lost potential production. She added that Mexico’s market share has increased by 2,100% since 2009.

    Letters of Support

    A coalition of industry groups, including the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Farm Bureau and Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, submitted letters to the ITC last week, spotlighting the consequences of blueberry imports.

    “Not only do these imports threaten domestic businesses and livelihoods, they also expose U.S. consumers to products from countries with poor or inconsistent product safety records,” John Hoblick, president of the 136,000-member Florida Farm Bureau Federation, said in a ABGA press release.

    Elected officials and state agricultural leaders are also in the ABGA’s corner. These include U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI). Both co-signed a letter of support that was submitted to the ITC on Feb. 3. Representatives and industry leaders also testified during the January hearing.

    About the ABGA

    According to its website, the American Blueberry Growers Alliance is a national association representing blueberry growers and farmers in the United States. ABGA provides a unified voice for blueberry growers in states across the country, including California, Florida, Georgia and Michigan. It advocates on behalf of their interests and for the long-term viability of the domestic blueberry industry.

  • March 2 is Deadline for Georgia Vegetable Growers to Vote on Assessment

    Georgia vegetable growers have until March 2 to vote on a Georgia Vegetable Commission marketing order that allows the assessment of one cent per marketing unit of vegetables, which is described in the current marketing order.

    Pictured are bell peppers.

    The order is applicable only to growers who produce at least 50 acres of the following crops: beans, bell pepper, specialty pepper, broccoli, beets, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, greens (including collards, turnip greens, mustard and kale), squash (including yellow, zucchini and winter squash), sweet potato and tomato. 

    If you are a qualified grower and have not received a ballot in the mail by Feb. 10, please contact Andy Harrison: Manager, Commodity Commissions, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Andy.harrison@agr.georgia.gov, (404) 710-1196

    The Georgia Vegetable Commission was established by the Georgia General Assembly in 2006. The marketing order must be re-approved by eligible vegetable growers every three years by a two-thirds affirmative vote.